Samsung gets serious with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge

I was privileged to have been invited to Samsung’s announcement of their next flagship Galaxy S smartphones – yes, with an ‘s’! – in Manila last Monday (Sunday in Barcelona, Spain). Of course, being the geeky person that I am, I attended the media event (who wouldn’t want to see their new smartphones in person on day one?).

I’m going to skip all the introduction and delve right in to the important stuff.

This year, there are not one, but two flagship Galaxy smartphones announced by Samsung – one being the ordinary Galaxy S6 and the other being the Galaxy S6 Edge. Both models share almost exactly the same specifications and features. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge packs a new metal and glass design combo, which is a radical change from previous flagships from Samsung.

The only difference between the two is that the S6 Edge features a display with a curve on both sides (as opposed to the Note Edge, which only had its curvature on the right). The only other minor difference lies in the battery – the S6 Edge has a 2600mAh battery while the ordinary S6 has a slightly lesser 2550mAh, both are non-removable… but, we’ll talk more about that later.

Both Galaxy S6 models sport a 5.1-inch QHD (2560x1440) screen with a pixel density of 577ppi. That’s 77% more pixels than that of the S5. Ticking inside is a 64-bit Samsung Exynos octa-core processor which Samsung says is 20% faster and 35% more energy-efficient than the Note 4’s processor.

And speaking of power-efficiency, it is said that the Galaxy S6 smartphones has this Quick Charge feature that will give you 4-hours of usage with just a 10-minute charge. That in itself is insane! Now you probably know why Samsung opted to forgo the replaceable battery its users liked in previous Galaxy S smartphones. Oh, and Samsung’s built wireless charging right in. No more need for replacement covers! (But you’d still need a wireless charging plate)

When it comes to camera, the Galaxy S6 smartphones have a 16-megapixel camera while gaining optical image stabilization (OIS), an f1.9 aperture to handle low-light photos and videos better, and tracking auto-focus (AF). Its front-facing camera is a 5-megapixel sensor with the same f1.9 aperture. While I haven’t had the chance to try its camera at the event, I’ve seen some sample shots on the web and those really impress. I cannot wait to try out the camera on the Galaxy S6.

So when can you get your dibs on the new Galaxy S6 smartphones?

Samsung says the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will be available starting on April 10th across 20 countries. Whether or not the Philippines is included on the first wave of launch, we don’t know just yet. The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will both be offered by Smart and Globe.

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Samsung’s first metal smartphone is arriving in the Philippines

The first Samsung smartphone to pack a metal body is soon arriving in the Philippines. We recently spotted the Samsung Galaxy Alpha with model number SM-G850F over SamMobile’s firmware listing website.

According to the initial firmware available, it is possible that the Galaxy Alpha will only be available unlocked at retail stores.

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha was announced in August, and is the first Galaxy smartphone to sport a metal body. It features a 4.7-inch HD Super AMOLED display, a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of internal storage, and a 1860mAh battery. There is no microSD card slot available, unfortunately. It runs the latest Android 4.4.4 KitKat OS.

The Galaxy Alpha supports Category 6 LTE connections, which has a spec of up to 300Mbps. That makes it one of the first LTE-Advanced smartphones to be launched in the Philippines when it hits the shelves.

Source: SamMobile

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Initial Impressions: Xiaomi Mi 3

Bang for your Buck is an understatement

Xiaomi has finally reached Philippine shores and it’s leading with its best foot forward – the Mi 3 smartphone. The flagship has been welcomed with much gusto – selling a whopping 3,000 units within just two hours during its debut flash sale at Lazada Philippines last 26 June.

After playing around with it for a few days, I got a first-hand take on why it has been selling like pancakes not just in the Philippines, but also in other Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia.
I’ll start off by saying how hard it is to believe that Xiaomi has been able to bring the price of the Mi 3 to a jaw-dropping P10,599 considering its impressive spec sheet on par with today’s popular flagships. And if the flash sales are any indication, its rivals should start paying attention.

The Xiaomi Mi 3 greets you with 5-inch full HD 1080p IPS LCD screen with a pixel density of 441 pixels per inch. The color reproduction is fairly neutral but can be tweaked in the settings menu. However, the phone is on the tall side. The Xiaomi logo is embedded behind the screen on the top left corner.

At a mere 8.1mm, the Mi 3 a fairly thin device as thick as a Samsung Galaxy S5 but not as thin the 7.6 mm iPhone 5s. It’s not feather-light, weighing in at 145g, but the added heft gives it a more premium feel.

Also giving it a premium look is its faux aluminum body which bloggers globally have mistaken to be actual metal. The design is reminiscent of the boxy Nokia Lumia series smartphones. It comes in two colors - metallic grey and black - but the former will be the only variant that will be introduced in the Philippines initially.

On top of the Mi 3 is a SIM tray slot that accommodates old-fashioned standard SIM card, since it comes from China where the form factor is still use. The phone does not come with an adapter out of the box so be sure to have one if you're switching from a micro- or nano-SIM.

The only physical buttons on the device are its volume rocker and the power button on the right hand side of the device in that order. The home, back and menu buttons are all capacitive.

At the bottom is a standard micro-USB port and speaker grills that seem to have been meticulously drilled. The Mi 3 has a matte finish all throughout, making it especially friendly to users with greasy hands.

The back of the phone is fairly plain where you’ll find an f2.2 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash. The back cover can’t be removed, making its 3050mAh battery non-user replaceable.  Also absent is a memory slot, leaving user stuck with 16 gigabytes worth of onboard memory. A 64 gig model does exist but has yet to be offered in the country.

Xiaomi Mi 3 Specifications and Features
5-inch full HD 1080p IPS LCD display
2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
Adreno 330 GPU
2GB DDR3 RAM
16GB internal storage
13MP f/2.2 main camera; 2MP front facing camera
3050mAh battery
WiFi
Bluetooth 4.0
NFC
DC-HSPA+ up to 42Mbps

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Snapdragon 800-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 launches for P18,990

Galaxy Note PRO 12.2 for P36,990…

Are 8-inch tablets your thing? If so, check this one out from Samsung. It’s their new Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 — an 8.4-inch tablet powered by the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor — that was launched yesterday in the Philippines.

The Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 sports a 2560x1600 (WQXGA) high-resolution display that is just so crystal-clear. In fact, it is one of the tablets that sport a pixel density of 359ppi. Underneath, the Tab PRO 8.4 packs a 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage along with a microSD card slot that can hold another 64GB, WiFi 802.11ac, an 8-megapixel autofocus main camera, a 2-megapixel front shooter, and a 4800mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 Specifications and Features
8.4-inch 2560x1600 (WQXGA) Super Clear LCD display
2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor
2GB RAM
16GB internal storage
8-megapixel autofocus camera
2-megapixel front-facing camera
1080p full HD recording @ 60fps
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0
USB 2
GPS
GLONASS
4800mAh battery
Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS

In addition to the Tab PRO 8.4, the bigger Galaxy Note PRO 12.2 tablet had also made its way to the Philippines. It is the first (as far as I know) 12-inch tablet by the Korean manufacturer, almost on the laptop/ultra-portables territory. It boasts of a 12.2-inch Super Clear LCD display of the same resolution, hence at a lower density of 247ppi, 3GB of RAM, dual-band WiFi ac, microUSB 3, and a huge 9500mAh battery.

Just like the Tab PRO 8.4, it runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat, has the same set of 8-megapixel main and  2-megapixel front-facing cameras, and 16GB of storage with microSD slot. It does, however, run on a different chipset, the Exynos 5420 with an octa-core processor.

Samsung Galaxy Note PRO 12.2 Specifications and Features
12.2-inch 2560x1600 (WQXGA) Super Clear LCD display
1.9GHz Quad + 1.3GHz Quad Exynos 5420 processor
3GB RAM
16GB internal storage
8-megapixel autofocus camera
2-megapixel front-facing camera
1080p full HD recording @ 60fps
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0
USB 3
GPS
GLONASS
9500mAh battery
Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS

Samsung:

The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO (12.2) come equipped with a variety of productivity tools to help users to manage both their personal and professional lives.

Multi Window enables users to split the screen up into four different windows and an innovative, Virtual Keyboard provides them with enough space to type comfortably, leveraging haptic feedback to produce a more realistic typing experience.

The Samsung S Pen included with the Galaxy NotePRO delivers a more responsive, productive and overall efficient tablet experience with access to features such as Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write and S Finder. In addition, Pen Window enables users to simply draw a window of any size on the screen, and instantly access unique in-application features such as YouTube or a calculator.

Users can easily access and control their home or office PC directly through their Galaxy NotePRO or TabPRO with Remote PC in order to seamlessly edit and save files remotely.

The Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO also come pre-loaded with Cisco WebEx Meetings platform, the industry’s leading web conferencing solution that provides users with an easy way to meet with anyone, anywhere. And now for the first time on Android tablets, users can share anything on their screen as well as starting a WebEx meeting from contact list.Samsung e-Meeting provides collaboration capabilities by giving users the ability to share content during a meeting without having to access a central server or network.

The Samsung Galaxy Note PRO 12.2 is now available at retail stores for P36,990 while the Galaxy Tab PRO 8.4 will be available in the coming weeks at the price of P18,990.

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Smart offers the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, other laptops and tablets starting at Plan 499

Getting a new tablet or laptop doesn’t have to be hard and expensive. With Smart’s new Gadget Plus Plans, they are making that true and available to everybody. So if you’re in for a new tablet or laptop with bundled internet connection for your on-the-go moments, check this one out.

Starting at just P499 a month, you can already get a 7-inch Acer Iconia B1 tablet running on Android Jelly Bean and a mobile Wi-Fi with 30 hours of internet.

For P200 more, you can either have an Alcatel T7HD, an HP Slate 7, a Starmobile Engage 7 HD, or a Huawei Media Pad Youth 7-inch Android tablet, plus a mobile Wi-Fi with 50 hours of internet for just P699 a month.

If you want a more capable device bring with you, check out the devices on Plan 999. Available in this plan is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 with P2,000 upfront payment, the Samsung ATIV Book 2 for P1,500, the Acer Aspire V5 122P Touch for P2,500, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 for P2,000, or the iPad mini 16GB for P1,500. These also come with 50 hours of internet hours per month.

If you want to get a trio bundle, look for these devices on Plan 1299. One bundle includes the Samsung ATIV Book 2, a Samsung wireless printer, and a mobile Wi-Fi device. The other bundle is the Acer Aspire V5 122P Touch, an Acer Iconia B1, and a mobile Wi-Fi. The two bundles come with a P1,000 upfront payment each and also have 50 internet hours per month.

If you’re worried about exceeding your allotted internet hours, well, fret not. Once you consume a certain number of hours on your plan, it will automatically switch to unlimited data. You can check out the table below for more info.

If you want to know more about the Smart Bro Gadget Plus Plans, visit their website.

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Samsung Galaxy Gear available starting October 4 in the Philippines (update)

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story stated that the Galaxy Gear will be available tomorrow. However, this is not the case. It will be out on October 4. We’re sorry for the mistake.

Samsung’s first wearable technology (not a watch per se), the Galaxy Gear, has been officially launched in the Philippines.

While the Galaxy Gear lets you know of the time, Samsung says that it isn’t really a watch. It is a featured-packed device that you can wear on your wrist, which do a lot of things that you can and can’t think of. You can make and answer calls (though you need to pair it with the Note 3), use S Voice to check text messages, and save reminders.

You can check notifications sent to your Note 3 right on the Galaxy Gear’s 1.63-inch AMOLED display, too. Memographer lets you take quick photos and videos up to 10 seconds — yes it has a 1.9 megapixel camera! — without having to pull out your phone so you never miss that moment.

Third-party apps are even supported on the Galaxy Gear, with apps like Path, Evernote, MyFitnessPal, Life360, Line, Vivino, Glympse and TripIt coming soon.

The Galaxy Gear will be available starting October 4 at Samsung Stores for P13,990. Quite pricey? Here’s a good news, if you get a Galaxy Note 3 tomorrow (September 28) at the Samsung Experience Stores in SM Aura, SM Cebu, SM Mall of Asia, SM Lanang, SM Davao and SM Consolacion, you get a chance to have a P3,000 discount (among others) on the Galaxy Gear, bringing the price down to P10,990. Check out Samsung’s website for more information.

It will be initially available in White, Gray, Orange, and Black, with Lime Green and Rose Gold coming soon.

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Globe slashes P900 off the Tattoo Mobile Wi-Fi, now just P1,995

Are you looking to get a mobile Wi-Fi for your personal use or for sharing on the go? Well, it looks like Globe’s got a good news for you. Apparently, they’ve slashed down P900 off the price of the Tattoo Mobile Wi-Fi, which means you can get it now for just P1,995 instead of P2,895 before.

What’s more, with Globe’s HSPA+ network, you can get excellent speeds for browsing, streaming videos, instant messaging, and more. Also, as this is a mobile Wi-Fi device, you can share your connection with up to 10 others, maybe your friends or family members. Globe is bundling free 1 hour of internet access for every purchase of Tattoo Mobile Wi-FI. Just send FREE1 to 8888 using the web dashboard at http://192.168.1.1 or by using Huawei’s app for Android or iOS, which is compatible with the Tattoo Mobile Wi-Fi (Huawei E5220).

You can get the Globe Tattoo Mobile Wi-Fi for just P1,995 at their website or at Globe Stores and accredited retailers nationwide.

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Digits Trading brings Tech21 Impactology cases in the Philippines

There’s a new interesting brand for smartphone and tablets that has recently entered the country, and they’re called Tech21.

Tech21’s Impactology (what a word :-P) cases gives your devices the ultimate protection from the likes of bumps or drops, thanks to the revolutionary D3O material used on their cases.

What’s D3O. you ask? Well, it’s that orange thing that’s present on their cases. You can find them along the corners where impacts usually happen and extends to the sides. It's made up of a non-Newtonian polymer with an intelligent molecular structure. Those molecules are free-moving when there’s no impact. But when there is, they all ‘freeze up’ together to absorb the impact force and spread the shockwave to the surface. By doing that, they help keep your device in tiptop condition. The technology used in D3O is widely used in protection gears like helmets for military use worldwide. That should give you an idea on how strong it actually is.

Back to the cases, Tech21’s Impactology cases has now reached our shores courtesy of Digits Trading. They currently have cases for the iPhone 5, iPad mini, and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

iPhone 5
Impact Maze – P1,250
Impact Shell – P1,250
Impact Band – P1,200
Impact Snap w/ Cover – P1,450
Special Ops Patrol – P2,200

iPad Mini
Impact Mesh – P1,250
Impact Snap w/ Cover – P1,650
Impact Folio Leather – P1,850

Samsung Galaxy S4
Impact Snap w/ Cover – P1,450
Impact Shell – P1,250
Impact Snap – P950

You can buy one of of Tech21 cases at the following stores: Astroplus, Astrovision, Beyond the Box, Banana Telecom, Complink, DigiHub, Digital Arena, Digital Hub, Digital Walker, E-Central, Games and Gadgets, Graphic All In, iCon, iGig, iStore, iStudio,, Microstation, Mobile 1, R.O.X., Senco Link, Switch, Technoholics, The Inbox Store, Vertex.

And, also…

Tech21 Impact Shell + LED notification light = AWESOME

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Western Digital launches its own Windows 8 app

Western Digital just released their own app on Windows 8 which makes accessing and sharing files much easier.

The app, which is now available at the Windows Store, automatically scans contents like photos, music, and videos on WD hard drives connected to your PC and will display previews on a live tile on the Start screen. With the new share feature on the Charms bar on Windows 8, you can also share files easily thru e-mail or your social media accounts.

Moreover, WD has added support for the new File History function of Windows 8 which allows automatic backups of your personal files stored on the Desktop and other Library folders to a supported Western Digital hard drive such as the My Passport® and My Book® Live™ drives. Additionally, WD drives can also take advantage of Windows 8’s Storage Spaces feature. That allows you to make multiple external hard drives appear as a single storage volume which you can use in conjunction with File History to create redundant backups for enhanced security.

The new Western Digital app will be automatically downloaded once you connect supported WD drives to your computer. Alternatively, you can install it from the Windows Store on the link above.

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This is the most innovative phone ever made

I mean, seriously!

The Cherry Mobile MF1 is not just a phone, it also doubles triples as a wireless hotspot (or pocket Wi-Fi if you will), and a USB dongle as well. The Filipino company has done a really unique offering here, and I am not joking! Really, this is perfect for their target consumers — the budget conscious. Most of them relies on prepaid data connection for their online needs and this might just be the phone for them. The specs are not too shabby either, it can give full 3G speeds up to 7.2Mbps down and  5.76Mbps down. All of that for just P1,999.

Cherry Mobile MF1 Specifications and Features
Wi-Fi/Wi-Fi Hotspot
USB Tethering/Dongle Mode
HSPA - up to 7.2Mbps down, 5.76Mbps up
FM Radio
Multimedia Player
Bluetooth 2.1
USB with mass storage function
microSD up to 32GB
Available in 4 colors: White, Black, Blue, and Red

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HTC One X+ officially launched, coming this November

HTC Philippines just announced that their newest Android flagship is coming this month.

The HTC One X+ is a minor upgrade to the original version which was announced and released earlier this year. It now packs a faster 1.7GHz NVidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor, a larger 64GB of internal memory, 2100mAh battery, NFC, HTC Sense 4+, and lastly, it ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Part of the slightly upgraded Sense skin are two new camera modes — the Self Portrait and Sightseeing modes. The rest of the device has stayed the same as the original, but the improvements are really noticeable as some publications report.

The One X+ will be available this November (check the stores, it might be already on stock) and is priced at P32,800. Meanwhile, original One X users, just letting you know that you can also have a taste of Jelly Bean now

HTC One X+ Specifications and Features
4.7 inch super LCD 2 touch screen with HD 720p resolution
Gorilla® Glass 2
8 megapixel camera with auto focus, LED flash, and BSI sensor (for better low-light captures), Dedicated HTC ImageChip
F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens
1080p video recording
NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 1.7 GHz, Quad core
1GB RAM
64GB mass memory
MicroSIM
GSM / HSPA+
3.5 mm stereo audio jack
NFC capable
Bluetooth® 4.0
Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual-band)
Beats Audio™
G-Sensor
Digital compass
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
GPS
GLONASS
2,100mAh battery capacity, non-removable
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS

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Hands-on with the Windows Phone 8X by HTC

Yes, the Windows Phone 8X by HTC is the official name of the device — the signature Windows Phone device by the Taiwanese company and Microsoft. It’s a mouthful, but I’ll simply call it the HTC 8X.

The HTC 8X was announced back in mid-September as the company’s flagship Windows Phone, along with the 8S. The folks over at HTC were kind enough to hand us a unit for a review, and we’re sharing our initial impressions and some photos of the device.

Upon pickup up the HTC 8X, first thing that came in my mind is that it’s no Lumia. While both are built with premium materials, holding the 8X doesn’t feel the same as holding a Lumia. The body of the HTC 8X is dominated by a single piece of shell which has a matte texture, giving it a smooth but grippy feel. The matte shell extends to the front of the device, which gives it a nice outline especially if you have one in blue, red, or yellow. The screen has a size of 4.3-inch, which may look small compared to the other flagship smartphones today. It is a Super LCD 2 display with an HD resolution. You will really like the crispiness of the display here.

HTC gave the 8X a squarish share rather than a rounded one. The phone still doesn’t feel too blocky despite that, thanks to the tapered edges on the back. The camera sits flush on the back so there’s no added bulk on there.

The HTC 8X runs Windows Phone 8, and it is just snappy. We’re still testing out the phone and the OS and we’ll share our review once it’s ready.

HTC Windows Phone 8X C620E Specifications and Features
4.3 inch super LCD 2 touch screen with HD 720p resolution
Gorilla® Glass 2
8 megapixel camera with auto focus, LED flash, and BSI sensor (for better low-light captures), Dedicated HTC ImageChip
F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens
1080p video recording
Qualcomm® S4 1.5 GHz, Dual-core
1GB RAM
16GB mass memory
MicroSIM
GSM / HSPA+
3.5 mm stereo audio jack
NFC capable
Bluetooth® 3.1
Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual-band)
Beats Audio™
Built-in amp
G-Sensor
Digital compass
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
GPS
GLONASS
1,800mAh battery capacity, non-removable
Windows Phone 8 OS

HTC has told us that the 8X will be released this November in the Philippines and will have a price tag of P28,880. There’s currently no info regarding carrier availability yet.

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Smart hosting Switch Madness Sale, iPhone 4S yours for Plan 1500

Smart will be hosting a Switch Madness sale on Friday until Saturday, September 29.

If you are still contemplating on signing-up for a new contract and get an iPhone 4S, now is probably the time to do so. Head on to Smart Store at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall and get the iPhone of the yesteryear for free at Plan 1500. If the iPhone is not your thing, then you will still be happy because they will be offering truckloads of other devices too.

Wireless Broadband devices such as the Power Plug-It will sell for only P625, the Rocket Plug-It Chic for only P1,175, the Pocket Wi-Fi for only P1,945. All you have to do is show your existing broadband device form the other carriers, that is to say, devices from Globe. I’m not sure if they will accept devices from Sun Cellular.

They will be also giving away free Smart Bro SIM cards there, just show your 3G or 4G enabled tablets (i.e. iPad Wi-Fi + 4G, Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 Wi-Fi + 3G, etc.), Plug-Its, and Pocket Wi-Fi’s.

You can also get prepaid phone kits at discounted prices, with the likes of Sony Xperia Ray selling for only P7,700, Nokia E5 for only P6,500, and HTC ChaCha for only P6,600. I can’t really list down all the offers that are available, so just check them out on Smart’s website.

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Smart LTE Pocket Wi-Fi coming soon, will bring LTE for all

Smart Communications, Inc. announced today that it will soon add a new device to its LTE lineup, the Smart LTE Pocket Wi-Fi.

The arrival of Smart’s LTE Pocket Wi-Fi means anyone can connect their Wi-Fi devices to it and have fast LTE speeds. The most important thing about this device is that it actually allows you to share your LTE connection to anyone near you even they don’t have an LTE-capable device or even they don’t have an LTE data plan.

What are the advantages of the LTE Pocket Wi-Fi? For one, you can save money. You don’t have to settle for just an LTE dongle which will only work with one device at a time, unless you connect it to a router with a USB slot, or use internet connection sharing on your computer, which is hassle. Second is portability. The problem with a dongle is that you have to connect it to a computer or a laptop for you to use it. The LTE Pocket WI-Fi does the opposite. Just press the power button and you have a Wi-Fi network with LTE speeds. You can take this thing in your car when on a long road trip, try doing that with the other one.

“LTE for All, that’s what the Smart LTE Pocket Wi-Fi brings to the table,” according to Smart Broadband Internet and Data Services Head Lloyd Manaloto. “Even if you don’t have a Smart LTE Plan or the latest LTE-enabled gadgets, you can already experience the power of Smart LTE,” he added.

The specific device being used by Smart is the Huawei E589. It supports downlink of up to 100Mbps and uplink of up to 50Mbps. It supports multiple LTE frequencies, five in fact, which are 2100 (Band 1), 1800 (Band 3), 2600 (Band 7, 900 (Band 8), and 800 (Band 20) MHz. Dual-band 3G (UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSPA) are also there, supporting 900 and 2100 MHz. Quad-band 2G is supported, of course, supporting 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz. Lastly, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n is here to do all the sharing. The battery is rated at 3,000 mAh.

Smart has not yet announced the plans and pricing details for the LTE Pocket Wi-Fi although I wouldn’t be surprised if it will be offered at the same Plan 3500 with 10 GB of data. This is intended for sharing and multiple users at all.

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Apple also unveiled the iPod touch 5th generation, pre-order now

Just in case you didn’t know, Apple also updated their iPod lineup, and the iPod touch 5th generation is part of that.

The iPod touch is probably the product who received the biggest upgrades among all that Apple announced last September 12. It got a new, bigger (taller) 4-inch screen which has the same 1136x640 resolution. The display is now an IPS one, and Apple also added the oleophobic coating the iPhone has always enjoyed. It got a new body as well, this time even thinner than its predecessor.just 6.1mm thin. The tapered edges are gone, it now have a more flat and blocky looks. And finally, the chrome back is goooone! It is now replaced by an anodized aluminum case. No more million-scratches-after-one-week-of-use rants!

The iPod touch 5th generation is now powered by the A5 chip, the same one as on the iPhone 4S. For connectivity, Apple added Bluetooth 4.0 and updated the Wi-Fi chip, which now supports 802.11 a/b/g/n – 2.4GHz and 5GHz which will work with the new dual-band routers. As expected, it also uses the new Lightning™ connector. Every new iPod touch now also comes with the loop – which is, well, a loop, or a lanyard in other terms. It attaches to the small silver circle that you see at the lower left corner of the iPod touch’s back side. Just press that thing and it will pop-out, letting you attach the loop. It now also supports AirPlay Mirroring.

What probably the biggest upgrade it received is the new iSight camera. Apple slapped a 5 Megapixels one on it’s back. Yes it is autofocus. Yes it have an LED flash. Yes it can record 1080p videos. Yes it has the same sapphire crystal lens cover. And yes, it can do panoramas. Well, Apple brags about the last.

So where and when can you get one? At the Apple Online Store Philippines for now. You can pre-order yours for P16,490 for the 32GB variant and P21,990 for the 64GB one. It now comes in more colors, you can pick from slate, silver, blue, yellow, pink and the Product (RED) one. First batch of orders will ship on October.

Oh I forgot, Siri is included.

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Nokia Lumia 920 unveiled, 4.5-inch HD screen and wireless charging in tow

The day has come. Nokia announced their new flagship smartphone yesterday, the Nokia Lumia 920.

The Nokia Lumia 920 comes with awesome features. First, Nokia put their own PureView imaging technology on this smartphone. An 8.7 Megapixels shooter is on the back. It comes with what they call the floating lens technology which allows the camera to capture 5 times more light than the top competitor smartphones. "Nokia PureView continues to deliver cutting-edge technology to make it possible for a smartphone camera to take the kind of images usually only seen on a standalone SLR camera," said Jo Harlow, executive vice president of Nokia Smart Devices. "With the Nokia Lumia 920 we have made it possible to shoot pictures and video at home, outdoors, in a restaurant or even at night, and come out with professional-looking results."

Another feature is the City Lens. It is an augmented reality feature that gives you an overlay information about points of interests that surrounds you when you hold the phone in a street. Nokia says that is the most intuitive way to explore a city.

The Lumia 920 comes with a huge battery, rated at 2,000 mAh. It is the largest battery ever put in a Nokia phone. Don’t take it too small though, Windows Phone is known to be a power efficient OS. The Lumia 920 also comes with built-in wireless charging. Welcome to the future.

Availability
This is where Nokia disappointed many people. No pricing and release dates has been ever mentioned aside from that it is “expected to start shipping in select markets later in the year.” The Lumia 920 will come in yellow, red, cyan, purple, white, grey, and black. No worries though, it’s coming soon in the Philippines. The Lumia 920 will work with Smart (bands 1 and 3) and Globe (band 3) LTE networks. That’s a fact.

Nokia Lumia 920 Specifications and Features
4.5 inch Nokia PureMotion HD+ WXGA IPS LCD
Corning® Gorilla® Glass
Super Sensitive touch
Nokia ClearBlack with high brightness mode and Sunlight Readability Enhancements
8.7MP with Nokia PureView advanced optical imaging stabilization and Carl Zeiss optics
Full 1080p HD video capture at 30fps
32GB mass memory with 7GB free SkyDrive storage
1GB RAM
2000mAh with integrated Qi wireless charging
GSM / HSPA+ / LTE (Compatible with Smart and Globe)
1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor
Gyroscope
Compass
Accelerometer
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Windows Phone 8 OS

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Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 first look, available today

I went to the launch of the Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 yesterday and I got a chance to finally try it. If you do not know yet, Samsung announced the GALAXY Note 10.1 back in February but only launched it this August as they have to revise the tablet’s specifications a little bit.

First Impressions
The GALAXY Note 10.1 is a huge device for me, since I was always accustomed to the iPad’s 9.7-inch screen with 4:3 aspect ration. However, this tablet comes with a 10.1-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ration and it is really wider or longer than the iPad when held in landscape mode. Using the S-pen to jot down notes or to draw doodles feels like you’re using a real pen. Of course the friction a real paper provides is not there. The whole package is generally made of plastic and as such, it is very prone to fingerprints and smudges. The back plate of it has a pearlescent sort of color. It is white but when you look at it at a different angle, it gives a slightly pearly violet color. I guess that’s a feature eh? :D

Package Contents
The box includes the GALAXY Note 10.1 itself of course, a proprietary Samsung cable connector and power plug, a pair of headset, a couple of extra stylus tips, the manuals, and not to forget, the S-pen.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (GT-N8000) Specifications and Features
10.1-inch LCD screen display with 1280x800 screen resolution, Digitizer
5 Megapixels main autofocus camera with LED flash, 1.9 Megapixel front-facing camera
16/32/64 GB internal memory
2 GB of RAM
7,000mAh of battery capacity
GSM / HSPA+
1.4 GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 processor
Gyroscope
Digital Compass
Accelerometer
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4 and 5 GHz
Wi-Fi Direct
mHL
Infrared
S-pen
Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich OS

The Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 available now for P32,990 for the 16 GB Wi-Fi + 3G (HSPA+) model. There’s no word yet if Samsung will bring in the other variants with more storage.

I think that’s it for now. This is my first ever Android device, so give me time while I get familiar with Android and the Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1. Stay tuned for our full review soon. Meanwhile, enjoy more photos below.

   

Disclosure: I won a Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 from the raffle at the launch.

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Alcatel will have an Amazing Sale starting tomorrow

Alcatel Mobile Philippines will be having a half-month long sale of their mobile phones, including their line of Android phones.

The sale, which will start tomorrow, August 31, will give you the chance to get one of their offerings at a few hundred or thousand pesos off. A total of 12 mobile phones will be available during that period and they are the ff.:
Alcatel Onetouch 306
Alcatel Onetouch 217D
Alcatel Onetouch 595D
Alcatel Onetouch 813D
Alcatel Onetouch 906 Blaze
Alcatel Onetouch 918N Glory
Alcatel Onetouch 918N Glory X
Alcatel Onetouch 916D Spark FB
Alcatel Onetouch 990 Blaze
Alcatel Onetouch 985N Blaze
Alcatel Onetouch 991D Inspire
Alcatel Onetouch 995 Sapphire

The sale will happen at all Alcatel Kiosks as well as several other retail stores. Full list below:
Twinline FairviewCyberwidget Centerpoint
Cyberwidget Mall of Asia
Trinity Session Road
Hello Mall of Asia
Hello SM North
Hello Bicutan
Hello Makati
Hello Festival Mall
Hello San Lazaro
Hello SM Megamall
Hello Centerpoint
Technomobile Marikina
Technomobile Sta Mesa
Technomobile Taytay
Technomobile Fairiew
Graphics
Perfecom
YTelcom
Tekpone
Aerophone
Cellplus Fonshop
Gizmo
RC Goldline
Comworks
Presnet

Click the photo above to see the full details. You might as well follow them on Twitter or like their Facebook page while you’re at it.

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Samsung outs ATIV S Windows Phone 8 device

Samsung announced the first Windows Phone 8 device ever at IFA 2012, the Samsung ATIV S, which runs on Windows Phone 8.

The ATIV S is definitely a head-turner device in terms of aesthetics. It has a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED screen sandwiched in a Gorilla Glass 2 display. It packs a dual-core (probably Snapdragon S4) processor at 1.5GHz, a gigabyte of RAM, an 8 Megapixels camera on the back and a 1.9 Megapixel one on the front. For storage, there’s two options – the 16GB variant and the 32GB one. There’s also a microSD card slot for an even more storage expansion in case you need more. And most of all, a 2,300 mAh battery capacity. All that in an 8.7mm brushed aluminum package!

Enjoy more photos below courtesy of the Windows Team Blog.

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